Dreams of the Dark One
by Var
Summary: Severus is given a "gift" by Voldemort. What will he do when the gift turns out to be a woman who knows more about him the even he does? Will he help her with her quest or will he be lost forever?
1. A Gift from the Dark Lord

Dreams of the Dark One

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe and I make no profit from this. I do own Alchemy however.

Chapter 1: A Gift From the Dark Lord

Serverus looked down at the young woman who had just been thrown at his feet. No she was more like a girl, she could barely be 20 years of age but her soft features made her look much younger. Her hair was a disheveled, a mess of jet black tangles. Her robes were torn and dirty. She was definitely a sight for sore eyes. But now she belonged to him. A gift from the Dark Lord. Voldemort had so graciously bestowed Serverus of this girl when she had no longer pleased him. Severus knew Voldemort was trying to get some kind of information out of the girl, but she had resisted and he had tired of trying to pry it from her. In any other situation the Dark Lord would have simply killed the girl, but this time he hadn't.

He had said that it was high time Severus had a woman in his life and had ordered Severus to take the girl as his wife. That would mean taking her back to Hogwarts and having to deal with all of the questions that would come with a spontaneously acquired bride.

'Damn, Dumbledore is going to have a field day with this one and at my expense too great, just great.' Severus said to himself as he easily picked the girl up and apparated back to the school.

Severus decided that the first thing to do was get the girl to his rooms and get her cleaned up, then he would talk to her and find out what kind of mess she had gotten him into. He laid the still silent girl on his bed and went to the bathroom to start the bath, as he walked back into his bedroom he noticed that the girl had sat up and was studying him.

"I started the bath for you, once your done cleaning up please come out into the study. I'll lay some fresh robes on the bed for you." He said a little too brusquely as he swept out of the room.

The girl paid no mind to his put-out manner and walked slowly into the bathroom. She removed her robes and stepped gingerly into the bath, favoring her right side which held a large bruise above her hip. Though the Dark Lord had not killed her over the information he sought he had defiantly thought that torturing her would get her to talk. Well, she had proved him wrong and now she was promised to marry this dark older man, whom although was quite attractive had a definite unfriendly disposition about him. She didn't think he would be to happy when he found out more about her and all of her secrets, but she would just have to deal with that when it came. For now she would focus on getting herself clean and washing away the grime that came with spending numerous days in the dungeons of the Dark Lord.

Severus paced up and down the floor of his study waiting for the girl to finish her bath. He wondered what was talking her so long and was just about to go check on her when the door from his room opened. There stood a vision, easily one of the most beautiful things Severus had ever seen in his entire life. It took him a few seconds to realize that his beautiful being in front of him was in fact the girl that was to be his wife. She had washed her hair and now instead of a ball of knots it was straight and glossy and fell to her waist. Her face was clean of dirt and her cheeks held a rosy glow, but the main thing that Severus noticed were her eyes. Her eyes were the color of amber, light red that seemed to almost glow from the inside. He had never seen eyes of the color and the contrast between them and her dark black hair was startling.

It took Severus a few minutes to realize he was staring at the girl, and finally he motioned for her to sit down in a chair by the hearth.

"I suppose this is as awkward for you as it is for me. Let's see I guess we could start if you told me your name then I would know what to call you." Severus said as he looked up expectantly towards the girl.

She simply sat there silent for a few moments before she stood up and walked to his desk where she picked up a quill and scratched something of a piece of parchment. She then walked back to Severus and handed him the parchment as she sat back down.

Severus read what she had written on the paper then looked up at her quizzically.

"Alchemy? Your name is Alchemy?"


	2. Alchemy Sinclair

Dreams of the Dark One

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe and I make no profit from this. I do own Alchemy however.

Chapter 2: Alchemy Sinclair

The girl looked up at Severus and nodded her head at his question.

"Okay. So her name is Alchemy." Severus thought to himself. The irony of her name was not lost on him; this girl obviously had been born of magical parents.

Becoming impatient watching Severus stare at her blankly the girl took the paper from his hands and next to Alchemy wrote Sinclair. She then pointed first to Alchemy, then Sinclair. Severus took this to mean that Sinclair was the girl's last name.

"Why do you not speak? Are you able?" Severus asked conjuring a chair next to Alchemy's to sit upon.

Alchemy nodded yes to his last question.

"So you can speak, but you do not."

Another affirmative nod from the girl led Severus to drop his head into his hands; this was becoming more and more hopeless by the second. "Can you tell me why you do not speak?" he asked.

Her answer was no, he knew it even before he raised his head to see her answer.

"Well you know what has been ordered by the Dark Lord. We must be married or suffer the consequences, which most assuredly mean death. I think it would be best if we got this taken care of quickly, then I will be able to get back to teaching my classes." Severus looked back to Alchemy; she was watching him passively as if she wasn't being forced to marry a strange man who had legitimate ties to the most feared wizard in history. Quite frankly her quiet acquiescence unnerved him. He replaced his panic with his usual surly demeanor and stood to look down his nose at the girl, "You will be ready at exactly eight o'clock in the morning, I will come to fetch you and we will be married." And with a sweep of his dark robes he fled the room.

Alchemy's gaze followed her future husband as he all but ran out of the room. She knew this wasn't the ideal position for him but it was necessary. It would be easier to protect him if she was close to him. Things couldn't have been working better for her if she had planned them herself. She was fortunate that Voldemort had kidnapped her in the first place. She had been trying to get to Severus for months with no avail, then one night while she was pacing the streets in Hogsmeade she heard a slight "pop". The next thing she knew everything went black.

She had woken up to look into a face that should have filled her with fear; instead she found a wonderful opportunity. Somehow Voldemort had been told of Alchemy. That she knew something that would help him immensely in defeating Harry Potter, and because of that he issued the order to have her brought before him. For weeks the Death Eaters tried to torture the information out of her, and for weeks she was silent. She said nothing as they beat her, nothing as that bastard Lucius Malfoy had forced himself upon her again and again, and this had infuriated them. She knew that what she knew was much too valuable for them to kill her so she held out, knowing her opportunity would come to her.

It came the next night, six weeks after she had been kidnapped. Voldemort had called a meeting with his Death Eaters and within minutes they had all shown up. She was thrown into the middle of the circle they made and from her heap on the floor she had looked to each of them until she had found him. Though he wore a mask Alchemy knew without a doubt it was him. Then she didn't know his name but she knew those eyes. Those ebony eyes that had haunted her dreams since she was a little girl, the dreams which had soon told her of the fate of this man if she did not intervene.

She looked to Voldemort at the head of the circle and then back to Severus. She then began to crawl on her hands and knees towards him. As Lucius jumped forward to stop her she looked with pleading eyes to Voldemort. This so called Dark Lord was so easily tricked. He took her actions to mean that she wished to go to Severus that he might protect her. Maybe while with Severus she would give up her secrets.

Her plan had worked; Voldemort came to the decision that Alchemy would now go to Severus. Knowing that Severus would never disobey him, he ordered him to marry the Alchemy and with that she was thrown at his feet.

As Severus picked her up she had looked into his eyes and had seen many things. Confusion, anger, and then fear. She chuckled now at that. Severus had no idea what to do with a wife and would most likely do his best to ignore her.

It was no matter though, for Alchemy would most definitely not be ignoring him. She didn't come all this way to see her plans fall through. She would save him, even if it meant losing herself.


	3. Man and Wife

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe and I make no profit from this. I do own Alchemy however.

Chapter 3-Man and Wife

"Congratulations. You are now husband and wife." Albus Dumbledore said while smiling.

Severus and Alchemy stood before him in his office. Severus scowled at the old man's words but Alchemy looked mildly pleased.

"I must say Severus, it's about time." Minerva quipped from Albus' side. She had been their witness.

"Right." Severus said through clenched teeth.

Albus looked amused at Severus plight, "I think it's time to show your new wife to your rooms, don't you Severus? She's been through quite a trial these past weeks, so she could get here to you."

Alchemy nearly laughed. Albus did have a clever way with words.

* * *

Minutes later Severus led Alchemy into his personal rooms which she had already seen. He immediately unbuttoned his robes and threw them off. He rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt and sat down at his desk.

"I have papers to grade. You can amuse yourself for a few hours?" he said without looking up from the paper he was marking.

Alchemy stood in front of his desk with her hands on her hips.

Three silent minutes past before he looked up and noted the agitated look on her face.

"What is it? Surely you don't expect to consummate the marriage now?"

Alchemy rolled her eyes and grabbed a piece of paper off his desk. She scribbled:

_I don't want to sleep with you, you arrogant man. I've spent weeks as a captive and that bastard Malfoy has done enough to make me want to hex the next man who comes at me in that way. _

Severus growled when she wrote Malfoy.

_And_ _please stop barking orders at me. I'll stay out of your way as long as you don't act like a prat all of the time. I believe we can live together with minimal difficulty._

This time he tried to suppress a snort.

_Before you so rudely insulted our marriage I was simply going to ask you if you would like help grading. I'm sure it will go more quickly if I help you._

Alchemy looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

Severus was taken back, "Alright." He nodded.

* * *

Two hours later Severus and Alchemy had finished all of the grading Severus needed done for the next two weeks.

"Thank you." He said sincerely when they were done.

Alchemy winked at him and pulled out another piece of paper.

_I need to go to Diagon Alley. Will you go with me?_

"Why do you need to go?"

_Voldemort took my wand. I need a new one._

"You need me to go with you?" Severus asked.

_I don't need you to but I would like you to. Believe it or not, I enjoy your company. _

Severus looked at her suspiciously.

_Shocking, I know! Come on, get your cloak. We're going out._

"Very well." Severus said with a hint of humor as he followed Alchemy out of his rooms.


	4. Crucio

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe and I make no profit from this. I do own Alchemy however.

Chapter 4-Crucio

Alchemy sighed and threw down her quill. She needed a break from grading papers for a while.

It had been three weeks since she had been married to Severus Snape. Three weeks and she was no closer to understanding him. He was hot and cold with her. Sometimes they could sit and work together. Comfortable in the silence around them. Some nights he would even tell her about his day.

But then, at other times, he would rage at her. He acted like he wanted nothing to do with her. He would say that he didn't want a wife, that Alchemy was a distraction that he did not need. One time he had even demanded that she leave the room. She had simply ignored him and went back to the book she was reading. He never came close to harming her, he would only yell, but it was still frustrating.

She tried to point out that she was not the enemy. But it was hard to write responses quickly while he was storming around their rooms.

Every so often he would try to take his anger out on her personally. He would demand that she speak to him. He knew she could and because she wouldn't it made him temper that much worse.

* * *

A few nights ago he had collapsed into one of the chairs after a long day. She could tell he was close to losing it so she brought him a drink and sat down next to him. He paid her no mind as she pulled a piece of parchment out of her robes and handed it to him.

He looked at her suspiciously before opening it.

_I want you to know something._

It began in Alchemy's slanted handwriting.

_There is a good reason why I cannot speak to you; to anyone. I can't tell you why right now, but I'd like you to believe me. Voldemort tried for weeks to make me tell my secret and he failed. I know he believes you loyal and for that reason alone I can't tell you anything. So please don't think I'm doing this just to spite you Severus. You can ask Lucius Malfoy, he'll tell you. I never made a sound while I was their captive. _

Severus' mouth quirked and he looked up at her.

"Through everything they put you through you never made a sound?" he asked, almost proud.

Alchemy nodded.

"Dear girl." He chuckled taking her hand and placing a quick kiss on the top.

Alchemy smiled.

"You're protecting someone, aren't you." He asked seriously.

Alchemy's smile vanished. She nodded again.

"I see. I suppose you can't tell me who it is either?"

She shook her head.

"Of course."

"I should apologize, shouldn't I? I never should have pushed you to speak to me. It's amazing the amount of self-control you employ to carry out your task. And your silent magic skills are impressive. Nearly as good as mine." He smirked.

Alchemy rolled her eyes. If anything, her husband was arrogant.

* * *

Alchemy sat up in bed. She had heard a strange noise in her sleep that had woken her up. She looked to Severus' side of the bed, it was empty. They may not be actually sleeping together but they had decided to sleep in the same bed. No, Alchemy had insisted. It would be easier to keep an eye on him that way.

Something crashed to the floor in the next room. She jumped out of bed, grabbed her wand and flung open the door. She saw Severus lying on the floor. He was shaking violently and his faced was etched with pain.

Alchemy had experience the curse enough herself to recognize the after effects of Cruciatus.

Alchemy ran to his side and kneeled down. She took his head and laid it in her lap. She began smoothing his hair from his face tying to calm him down. There wasn't much more she could do until the effects wore off. Severus started and grabbed her arm, thinking her a foe. He pulled her down quickly while reaching for his wand. His wand was at her throat when he finally looked into her face. When he recognized her his body relaxed and with a sigh he released her.

Alchemy went back to trying to soothe him. It was obvious that Voldemort's intent was to punish Severus. And Alchemy had a good idea why. It was because of her. She hadn't given Severus anymore information than she had given to him or his Death Eaters and because of that he had become angry.

It was morning before Alchemy was able to get Severus up off the floor and into bed. He fell into a fitful sleep, but it was better than nothing.

Alchemy was picking up the fallen items that Severus had knocked down when she heard a knock on the main doors to their rooms.

When she pulled the door open she saw a face that made her blood boil and run cold at the same time. Standing in front of her was Lucius Malfoy.


End file.
